Machine for washing silverware



4:0 J. FOLEY 2,212,550

MACHINE FOR WASHING SILVERWARE Filed Feb; 16, 195': 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN BY 51 Aug- 27. 1940. J FOLEY 2,212,560 mam FOR WASHING SILVERWARE Filed Feb. 16, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 c/AFPOMEz/ F04 5K INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

27, 1940- I J. J. FOLEY MACHINE FOR WASHING SILVERWARE 4 Sheets-Sheejif'E Filed Feb. 16, 1937 JE/POMEJ FOLEY ENTOR.

ORNEYS.

Aug. 27, 1940. J. J. FOLEY 2,212,560

' MACHINE FOR WASHING SILVERWA'RE Filed Feb; 1a, 1957 4 Shets-Sheet 4 Jaw/we- F04 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY-5'.

Patented Aug. 27, 11940 1 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR WASHING SILVERWARE Jerome J. Foley, Rockville Centre, N. Y., assignor to .The Foley-Irish Corporation, a. corporation of New York Application February 16, 1937, Serial No. 125,950

4 Claims. (01. 141-1) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in washing machines and more particularly it pertains to machines for washing silverware such as used in restaurants and the like,

5 and the machine illustrated herein is an improvement over that of my co-pending application, Serial Number 7,345, filed February 20, 1935.

One object of the invention is to improve the construction and mode of operation of washing machines and to provide such machines with mechanisms which will effect a better washing operation than prior machines.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and novel construction of drum or container for the articles being washed.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of new and novel constructions whereby, after the washing operation has been completed, the drum or container in which the articles are carried may be bodily removed from the machine to facilitate the removal of the washed articles therefrom and the replacement thereof by other articles to be washed.

Other features of the invention relate to certain novel and improved constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. a

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawings, I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale illustrating the machine in open position with the drum in position to remove articles therefrom or to place articles therein,

55 Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view,

j braces 22.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in elevation 11- lustrating the construction of the perforated end walls of the drum,

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 8. and;

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the controls of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the reference character A designates the frame of the machine. This frame comprises suitable leg members 2i) having feet 2| and said legs are connected by Carried in the lower portion of the frame there is a shelf or the like 23 and this, together with side walls 24 forms a compartment B which will be hereinafter referred to. In the upper portion of the frame there is a tank-like structure C comprising end walls 24 and 25, a bottom wall 26, and a hinged cover 21. As be'st shown in Figure 5, the cover 21 is hinged as at 28 to a rear wall 29 of the tank C.

The reference character D designates a drum, and this drum is mounted for rotation within the tank C. The drum has two end walls 30 and 3|. The drum is circular in cross sectional form and that erid which is closed by the end wall 30 is of larger diameter than the end closed by the end The side walls of the drum are provided with longitudinally extending inwardly disposed shoulders 32 extending substantially throughout the length of the drum, and these shoulders serve to effect a tumbling of the articles within the barrel when the barrel is rotated.

The end walls '30 and 3| are perforated as at .34, and as best shown in Figure 9, these perforations 34 are tapered, the largest diameter thereof being disposed outwardly of the drum. This construction provides a smooth inner face 35 for the end walls of the drum and by reason of the construction of the perforations, forks and similar articles having tines or other projections thereon do not become fixed to the end walls by reason of their tines being caught in the perforations as is the case where the end walls are of relatively thin'material, and the perforations of equal diameter throughout the thickness of the material. The end walls 30 and 3| as well as the I side walls of the drum'are formed of relatively thick material and the perforations are of such size with relation to the thickness of the material employed as to prevent passage of the tines of a fork completely through the end walls, thereby eliminating jamming and consequent damage to the drum in its rotation. The side wall of the drum closely adjacent the larger end thereof is provided with a plurality of perforations 36 arranged in two circular series; these perforations not being formed in inwardly disposed shoulders 32 of the drum.

The end wall of the drum may be secured in position by means of bolts screws or the like 31 which pass through openings 38 in the end wall 39.

The wall 3! which forms the closure for the opposite end of the drum is carried by a circular member W and secured-thereto by screws or the like-ii This circular member 40 I will hereinafter refer to as a driving ring since it provides the driving action for the drum D. This the shaft "39 clearing the cradle bearing and ring has an open portion 4 i in which is mounted a. driving gear 42 the gear being secured to the driving ring by bolts screws or the like 43. The reference numeral M designates a 'shaft the inner end of which is positioned in the wall M as at 35 the outer end extending through a bearing member 47 which bridges the opening 48 in the end wall 25 of the tank C. This construction together with the stub shaft 49 upon the opposite end of the frame which rests in a cradle bearing 50 carried by the end wall 2% of the tank, I

provides the means for supporting the drum for rotation within thetank. The construction just described also provides means for readily removing the drum from the tank since its rear end, or that end carrying the shaft 59 may be lifted,

permitting of the shaft 44 being withdrawn from the bearing member 41 to bodily lift the drum out of the tank.

The driving ring 30 is. maintained in position upon the drum by means of the locking levers 52 (see Figure 3) which are pivotally mounted thereon and which have nose portions which engage beneath the heads 55 of bolts 56 (see Figure 3) carried by the drum. When the driving ring 40 is placed in position upon the end of the drum, the bolts 56 pass through openings in the driving ring after which the levers 52 are moved about their pivotal point until their nose portion 53 engages beneath the heads of the bolts 56, which operation locks the driving ring 40 in position upon the end of the drum. The driving ring provides for access to the interior of the drum and when removed leaves the drum open to receive the articles to be washed, and when aflixed to the drum, positions the end wall 3! to operative position in the drum.

Mounted in the end wall 25 of the tank there is a shaft 60. On the inner end of this shaft 60 there is a gear 6| which meshes with the gear 42 carried by the driving ring 40. Upon the outer end of the shaft 60 there is a sprocket wheel 62 and passingaround this sprocket wheel 62 there is a driving. chain 63, see Figure 3, which chain also passes around a sprocket carried by the shaft 64. This shaft $4 is the driven shaft of a speed reducing gearing, not illustrated, but mounted within the housing 65 shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. This speed reducing gearing is driven by a motor 66, the shaft 61 of which constitutes the driving element per se of the speed reducing gearing From the foregoing it will be apparent that when electric current is supplied to the motor 6B, through the medium of the shaft 61, speed reducing gearing 65, shaft 64, driving chain 63,,s'procket wheel 62, shaft 60 and, gears 6i and 42, the

driving ring 40 will be driven to rotate the drum in its bearings within the tank.

Means is provided for supplying a cleaning fluid,

preferably water, to the interior of the tank, and this means comprises a water supply line Ill controlled by a suitable valve H which when open, permits of filling to the desired level the tank with the cleaning fluid. Meansis provided for also supplying the tank with a cleansing agent and this means comprises a tank- 12 containing water or other fluid Within which there is a supplemental tank'lt. This supplemental tank 13 is either perforated or formed from screen and carries a cleansing agent It, see Figure 5. The reference numeral 18 designates a pump which is hand operated by -the plunger Ti, and leading from the pump to an injecting nozzle 18, see Figure 3, there is a pipe or the like l9, see Figure 6. When the pump is operated, the cleansing agent in the tank 12 will be forced through the pipe 19 and discharged from the nozzle 18 directly into the tank.

A suitable drain in the form of a pipe is adapted to carry off the water or cleaning fluid after a cleaning operation has been completed,

and the discharge through this pipe 86 is controlled by a valve 8| which in turn is operated by a valve handle 82, see Figure 2. The reference numeral 83 designates an overflow, and this overflow is in the form'of a pipe 83 leading from the tank at a level above the bottom thereof and connected by a suitable fitting 85 to the drain 88 at a point below the valve 8!. By this construction and arrangement, should the l vel of the cleaning fluid rise above the lowest portion of'the overflow, the fluid will beconveyed through the overflow pipe to the drain, thus preventing thelevel of cleaning fluid rising to an undesirable level within the tank.

Means is provided for v supplying airfor drying the articles after a washing operation, and this means comprises a conduit 90 within the lower end of which there is mounted an air impeller 9i driven. by a motor 92. Mounted within this air conduit 90 there is a heater for heating the air, and this heater is designated by the reference character 9d. When the motor 92 is driven, the heater 9a is supplied with electric current and the air passing in the presence thereof is heated to a degree which will effect a drying of the articles carried within the drum D. The upper end of the conduit 90 registers with the opening 68 in the end wall 25 of the tank, and closing this opening there is ayplurality of hinged shutters 9i. These hinged shutters are moved to open position by the passage of air through the conduit 90 and when the ,air supply is cut off they fall under the influence of gravity to the closed position in which they. are shown in Figure 3, thus to prevent splashing of cleaning fluid from the inte- Eli rior of the tank into the air conduit 90 during the washing operation.

The reference numeral H00 designates a control box in which the control switches for operation of the motors and the controls of the various electrical devices are contained.

This control box includes a time switch which, after it has set, will maintain certain circuit conditions for a pre-determined time for which the switch is set. The time switch being of conven tional type is not herein illustrated in detail.

In Figure 10 is shown the diagram or electrical system between the control switches and the various elements of the electrical apparatus, and this Figure 10 will now be described. The reference numeral I05 designates the main power line and this power line has one branch I06 connected as at I01 to conductors "l8 and'lll9. The

1 air impeller 9 I conductor I08 is connected to a switch terminal H and the conductor I09 is connected to a switch terminal III. The branch H2 of the source of supply is connected as at H3 to an armature H4 of an electro magnet H5 and this armature H4 is adapted under operating conditions to engage the switch terminal I I I when the electro magnet H5 is energized. As shown in said figure, the motor 66 which drives the drum is mounted in this branch H2 of the main supply circuit. H6, there is a conductor H8, and this conductor includes the motor 92 which drives the fan or Also, .this conductor H8 includes the electric heater 94 and from the electric heater 94 a conductor I20 leads to the point I2I where it is electrically connected to the armature I22 of an electro magnet I23. When this electro magnet I23 is energized the armature I22 will be moved to position Where it will engage the terminal H0.

The reference numeral I30 designates a transformer and leading therefrom there is a conductor I3l.' The conductor I3I includes the winding of the electro magnet H5 and aso the winding of an electro magnet I40 from whence it continues to the point I4I where it is electrically connected to the armature I42 of the electro magnet I40. Leading from the conductor I4I at the point I43, there is a conductor I44 which includes the winding of the electro magnet I23, and this conductor leads into a time switch of conventional construction within the control box I00 Leading from the conductor I3I from the point I41 thereis a conductor I48, the end of which is open. Leading from the point I49 there is a conductor I58, and this conductor I50 is connected to the conductor I5| as at I52. The conductor I5I has an open point I53 and is connected as at I54 to the time switch. Leading from the transformer there is a conductor I51 which has an open point I58, and leading from the conductor I50 there is a conductor I60 which has an open point I6I. Adapted to bridge the open point of the conductor I48 and the open point of the conductor I60 there is a manually operated switch I62, and adapted to bridge the points I53 and I58 of the conductors I5! and I57, respectively, there is a switch I63. The transformer I30 is connected to the two branches of the main source of power by conductors I69 and I10.

In said diagram the circuit of the main power line is illustrated in heavy lines while the control circuits are illustrated in correspondingly lighter lines. The electro magnets I I5 and I23 and their associated armatures and wiring are mounted within a housing I80 located in the compartment B, and the motors 66 and 92 are also mounted within said compartment. The controlbox I00 which also includes the electro magnet I40 and its armature and the switches I62 and I63, is mounted upon the side of the machine, as best illustrated in Figure 2.

I will now describe the operation of the ma fore described manner andthe barrel positioned for operation within the tank, it being understood Leading off from the branch H2 as at that the cover will be closed. "Water is next admitted by opening the valve H and when the proper level has been reached this valve is closed, cutting off the supply of water. Operation of the pump 16 will now provide a charge of clean- 5 ing compound or fluid into the cylinder and the machine is ready for starting. The machine is started by pressing the button I8I of the switch I62. This completes a circuit energizing the electro magnets I40 and H5. Energization of the electro magnet I40 will attract the armature I42 thereof into engagement with the terminal I49 and complete a circuit through the switch I63 which, under normal conditions is closed to the transformer I30. Another circuit is completed through the winding of the electro magnet I40 and the winding-of the electro magnet H5 and conductor I3I to the transformer I30. Energizing of the electro magnet H5 will attract its armature H4 into engagement with the terminal III and will complete the circuit through the motor 66 by way of the conductor or branch H2, electric motor 66, armature H4, conductor I09, conductor I06. This set of the switch will, cause operation of the'motor 66 to rotate the 5 barrel through the driving mechanism thereof, which has been heretofore described. The washing operation continues until it is desired to discontinue the same, which is left to the discretion of the operator. At the 'desired time the operator opens the valve 8| to permit of discharge of the washing fluid from the tank and after this has been completed the apparatus which supplies heated air to the drum for drying the washed articles is set in operation. This is accomplished by Operation of the handle I83 of v the time switch which sets the mechanism of the time switch and also completes the circuit from the conductor 1150 through the time switch, conductor I44, and the winding of the electro magnet I23. This energizes this magnet and moves its armature I22 into engagement with the terminal H0. This completes the circuit through the motor 92 and the electric heater 94. With the parts in this position the drum is rotated, the motor which drives the air impeller is in operation and the electric heater is energized as a result of which the drum will be rotated and heated air will be supplied to the drum in the heretofore described manner. The time switch maintains this operation for a pre-determined length of time after which it trips and opens the switch I63, breaking all electric circuits and bringing both motors to rest and de-energizing the electric heater 94. The switch I63 has a button .35 I82, and it is obvious from the foregoing that operation of this button may be employed to at any time stop the machine during operation thereof.

The foregoing operation having been completed the washed articles are removed from the on drum and the operation as described may be re peated.

While the invention has been herein described in its preferred formit is to be understood that it is not limited to the specific construction herein'shown and that it may be practiced in other forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A drum for washing machines of the type described, said drum being of substantially cylindrical form, a perforated wall closing one end of the drum,a driving ring removably carried by the opposite end of the drum, and a perforated 76 outer ends whereby to provide a smooth inner f face for each end of the drum.

3. A drum for washing machines of the type described, said drum having end walls of relatively thick material, and a plurality of passages extending through said end walls, each of said passages tapering outwardly of the wall from a relatively small opening at its inner end to a relatively larger opening at its outer end to provide a smooth inner end for each face of the drum.-

i. A drum for washing machines of the type described, said drum having end walls of rela- ,tively thick material and a plurality of passages extending through each of the end walls of the drum, said passages being of a length equal to the thickness of the material of the end walls and being of larger diameter at their outer ends than at their inner ends.

. JEROME J. FOLEY. 

